What is your counselling approach?

I work using the person-centred approach — one of the most influential approaches in counselling and psychotherapy. It was introduced by Carl Rogers in the 1950s and has been backed up by thorough research over the years. My training included a MSc in the UK.

What techniques will you use?

A main principle of this approach is that you are the expert when it comes to your own life and there is nothing ‘wrong’ with you that needs ‘fixing’. Therefore, using techniques on you wouldn’t honour your agency and inner potential for change.

What I will do instead is create the conditions for you to get in touch with who you are and what you want and need. This insight can help you lead a fulfilling life.

So what will you actually do?

I will create the space for you to talk freely and connect with yourself. I will accompany you while thoughts and feelings come up, welcoming them all without judgement. I will hold them with empathy and genuineness.

As your feelings and thoughts cease to be your enemies, there is often great relief and a sense of freedom and lightness, accompanied by inner calm and clarity.

Couldn’t my partner/friend/relative do that for me?

There are a number of things that make this type of relationship unique:

• Confidentiality means you can feel safe to share freely.

• Not being part of your everyday life minimises the fear of consequences.

• No expectations means no pressure on you to be a certain way.

• No judgement means you can express feelings and thoughts that are difficult to talk about.

• Respect and value towards your individual way of being can be deeply empowering.

OK, but it still feels a bit abstract. Can you give an example?

Happily, but I’d prefer the example to be based on your own unique experience. I encourage you to book a free 20-minute chat so we can discuss what brings you to therapy and how I can help based on that.

Therapy is an unwritten story waiting to be written by you. This is its challenge but also its gift.

What issues do you specialise in?

I specialise in understanding the human being behind the presenting issue, no matter what the issue might be.

I often work with people who experience anxiety, low mood, burnout, life transitions, relationship difficulties or a general sense of being lost or ‘not themselves’ anymore. Together we will explore what is really going on for you and how these issues came to be.

How long will therapy take?

You are the one who decides when to stop and we can discuss this together. I have had the honour to witness profound realisations and transformation along a variety of periods of time, from very short to very long.

Just one last thing. What does being a member of the BACP mean?

The BACP is the UK’s largest professional body for the counselling professions. Being a member guarantees that I have gone through rigorous training, my practice is supervised regularly, I pursue continuous development and, most importantly, I am committed to working in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework. If you have any further questions regarding this, please reach out and I will be happy to answer.

I look forward to meeting you and hearing what is going on for you.

If you are thinking of giving this a chance, book a free 20-minute chat to get a sense of whether we are a good fit, with no obligation to continue.

I hope to hear from you soon,

Meropi